Carnival of Time
by solitaryblaze
Summary: The Indigo-go's are in Clock Town for the Carnival of Time! But something has gone terribly wrong back at home...


(disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, no matter how many times I wish.*_* I do, however, own Karzee and the water gazelles. [aren't they nifty creations?] Reprinting without permission of this story is forbidden. Obtain permission by emailing me at solitaryblaze@yahoo.com. Thankies. The more reviews I get, the faster I'll write the second chapter, dealio?)  
  
Carnival of Time  
  
"Mikau! Are we almost ready?" I called.  
  
"Yeah, I think. Um…How am I supposed to pack a fishbone guitar?" he replied.  
  
"I don't know. I don't have to pack any instruments." I said back.  
  
"That's because you sing." he retorted. I laughed at him. Mikau and I were the Zoran representatives at the 'Carnival of Time'. It was in three days, but we were told to come early. Our band, the Indigo-go's, was playing at the festival, but they wouldn't be departing Zora Hall until the day before. My job was to sell Zoran wares, and Mikau would be speaking on behalf of the Zoras. I couldn't wait.  
  
"Karzee!" called Lulu, my fellow singer.  
  
"What?" I responded.  
  
"Do you think I could come with you and Mikau, so I can be there early?" she asked.  
  
"I'm pretty sure you could. Mikau!" I called back.  
  
"Yeah?" he said.  
  
"Could Lulu come with us?" I questioned.  
  
"Sure, I wouldn't mind. But she'd have to pack quickly." he replied.  
  
"Okay, I'll start getting ready right away." said Lulu. With that, she disappeared out the door.  
  
A couple hours later, us three were standing on the island out back on Zora hall. It was almost twilight.  
  
"Well, I suppose we should set off," said Mikau. He called to our water gazelles. Three snow-white horses with aquatinted fins leaped out of the water.  
  
"Alright, Amphitrite." I said, beckoning to mine. Amphitrite walked over and I mounted her. Lulu and Mikau also swung up on their steeds, Aquarius and Poseidon. The horses dove in the water and we were swimming at high-speed in the Great Bay towards Clock Town.  
  
We reached East Clock Town right before the Stock Pot Inn was about to close. We rushed in before the doors were locked. Mikau went and talked to Anju, the innkeeper, and received the key to our group room. The whole band would be staying there. We trekked up the stairs, and walked into our room.  
  
"This place isn't that bad." Lulu commented.  
  
"We should all unpack and go straight to bed. We need our rest," said Mikau.  
  
"You're right." I responded. So we unpacked and were getting ready for bed when Lulu spoke up.  
  
"Karzee, can we go exploring tomorrow?" she said.  
  
"Sure. Right after Mikau and I go to see Mayor Dotour. He needs to know we've arrived." I replied.  
  
"Okay." Lulu said.  
  
In the morning, Mikau and I went to visit the mayor's residence. He verified our presence in the town and sent us on our way. The rest of the band would be arriving in the afternoon. We went back to the inn.  
  
"Karzee! Are you ready?" Lulu asked. She was very excited.  
  
"Yeah, I'm ready. Mikau, what are you going to be doing?" I said. For a minute there was no response.  
  
"I'll just wander around. I will be back here in time to greet our band members." He said, somewhat distantly.  
  
"Uh, okay." I replied, and bid a good-bye. With that, Lulu and I set off to see the rest of Clock town.  
  
"This town is huge!" Lulu exclaimed after walking through South Clock town.  
  
"I know. How many shops have we found, now?" I asked her.  
  
"Let's see…there's the two archery games, the treasure box game, the inn, the mayor's residence, and the milk bar. Do you think we could go to the bar tonight, when the rest get here? I hear they've got a stage. We could practice." said Lulu.  
  
"Hey, that's an awesome idea." I said. We were now walking up West Clock town. I read all the signs.  
  
"Curiosity Shop, Trading Post, Bomb Shop, Bank, Post Office." I read. "This street must be packed on the weekends."  
  
"You're telling me." S aid Lulu.  
  
"I wonder where Mikau went." I mused.  
  
"You know, if you look out that gate, it leads toward the ocean." She said. I looked. It did. Past the entrance, you could hear the sound of the tide. But a fence blocked the sight of water. A pang of sadness hit me. How could these Hylians stand to walk around here, and never see the ocean? Why, the only water they had was at the Laundry Pool, and that was filthy.  
  
"Lulu, is that Mikau?" I asked, my heart jumping. Lulu peered in the direction I was looking.  
  
"I think it is. What is he doing outside city gates?" she said.  
  
"I don't know. Well, let's leave him to his tranquil thoughts. We'll go back and wait for the band." I said.  
  
"Alright." Lulu replied.  
  
Back at the inn, we were just standing around in the lobby, when the door banged open. We jumped at the sudden sound. Evan and the rest bustled in with their instruments.  
  
"Hey, you guys!" said Lulu.  
  
"Hi, thought we'd never get here." Said Evan.  
  
"Follow us. Lulu and I will show you our room." I said.  
  
"Okay, you heard the girls, let's go!" Evan shouted. The whole troupe clamored up the staircase.  
  
"Man, lugging around a whole set of puffer fish drums really takes it out of you." Said Tito.  
  
"Hey, Lulu!" said Japas, smiling at her. Lulu smiled back.  
  
"Did you have a safe trip?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, it was okay, except for taking along our instruments. It's a wonder my coral-sax didn't get all banged up." He said, scratching his head.  
  
"Hey, where's my front-man Mikau?" inquired Japas.  
  
"I believe he is outside city gates, by the ocean fence. Didn't you see him?" I replied.  
  
"No, we came the other way." Japas responded.  
  
"Well, he should be here soon." I said. At that moment, the door banged open once again, and someone came up the stairs, and into the group room.  
  
"Mikau!" I cried. I ran over to him. "Where have you been?" He looked ragged and exhausted.  
  
"Karzee." He whispered. Mikau grabbed me by my shoulders. I stood there in a frightened trance.  
  
"Mikau, what's going on?" I asked hurriedly, my voice wavering.  
  
"The ocean…" he managed to say.  
  
"The ocean what!" I yelled frantically.  
  
"Karzee, hear me out. The ocean's waters have turned inhospitable. You can't breathe in them anymore. If this condition stays for to long, all the water creatures, then all our people, will perish." He said. The whole band just stood there, unwilling to believe this. Mikau finally released me from his grasp. I stepped back and sank onto one of the beds.  
  
"No, this can't be true…" my voice trailed off. I sat there in a daze for a moment. My home, the ocean, was going to kill us?  
  
"Is there any way we can prevent this…this disaster from happening?" said Lulu.  
  
"I don't know. That's what I went down there, to the ocean, for. I visited the Bayside Laboratory, but the scientist there didn't know what to do, either." Mikau responded.  
  
"Oh, no. I just thought of something." Said Lulu, turning to me. "What's going to happen to the gazelles? Can't they breathe in air longer than we can?"  
  
"I suppose they'll die out right after us." Spoke up Evan.  
  
"You know, we don't have to die out. Zoras can breathe in any water, right?" said Japas, but was cut off by Tito.  
  
"Yes, but only for about a week. Then we need to breathe in ocean water." He said systematically.  
  
"What are we going to do?" wondered Lulu. I could tell she was both shocked and saddened. But then again, so was I. What were we to do? Everyone was silent for a moment. It was Evan that broke the quiet.  
  
"Well, you know, we still have a show to put on. We'll have to think while we practice." He said.  
  
"'Evan's right." agreed Japas.  
  
"I suppose you are right…" I finally said. "Come on, let's get a good night sleep and we'll practice tomorrow."  
  
"Good idea." Said Tito.  
  
I was rudely awakened by the loud, yet rhythmic, sound of beating drums.  
  
"Tito, how is anyone supposed to sleep with that racket?" I groaned.  
  
"You're not." He replied simply. My eyes widened with exasperation.  
  
"I guess I'll just have to get up then. What time is it?"  
  
"The current time would be six thirty, my lady Karzee." Japas answered.  
  
"What? You're telling me it's only six thirty in the morning?"  
  
"That would be correct." Said Evan, walking into the room.  
  
"I don't get up until eight back at the Hall." I grumbled.  
  
"Well, it seems Clock Town is bustling about already." Evan said, taking a seat at the table that was in our room. I sighed and rubbed at my eyes until I could see better. I took a glance around the large room. Tito was sitting sideways in a chair across from Evan practicing his drums and Japas was lounging on his bunk looking at a magazine. From my top bunk, I stuck my head down to see if Lulu was in the bunk below mine. There she was, still sleeping. Mikau was nowhere to be found. I slid off of the bunk and hit the floor with a thud. Wincing slightly from the impact, I turned and shook Lulu until she woke.  
  
"Wh-what?" she mumbled.  
  
"Wake up, Lulu. Let's get ready for the day."  
  
"All right, I'm up, I'm up." She yawned, sleepily sitting up. I sat down next to her.  
  
"Come on, we have to go back to the ocean today." 


End file.
